Two Australians on the podium - Chris Burton and Bill Levett with Britain's Laura Collett Photo courtesy Event Rider Masters/Anna Franklin
Not only did Australia’s Chris Burton win the Event Rider Masters at Arville but several other Antipodeans made their mark in Belgium
Bill Levett not only made it onto the ERM podium but stayed there until the very end, joining his team mate Chris. Bill and Shannondale Titan finished in third place thanks to a fast cross country round and clear show jumping
Bill Levett and Shannondale Titan Photo courtesy Benjamin Clark/Event Rider Masters
The other Australian in this class, Katja Weimann, now based in Germany, finished just outside of the top ten in 11th place on BP Escapade who moved up after the dressage with a lovely clear show jumping round and just 14.8 time penalties on cross country
New Zealand’s Clarke Johnstone also rose up the ranks after dressage in the ERM CIC3* at his first event back in Europe. Clarke and Balmoral Sensation recently returned to the UK and are currently based with Chris Burton in the lead up to the World Equestrian Games; they couldn’t beat their host on this occasion but they finished in seventh place
Clarke Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation Photo courtesy Event Rider Masters/Anna Franklin
Sam Griffiths may have withdrawn Happy Times before the ERM CIC3* cross country but a newer star in his stable, the Blair winning Gurtera Cher, won the other CIC3* class. They finished on a score of 33, the same total as Izzy Taylor on Direct Cassino but took the win on countback and Bill Levett once again took third place, this time on Alexander NJ
Sam also did well in the CIC2* on board Sea Summer Bay, finishing second to Ludwig Svennerstal. It didn’t go as hoped for Jonelle Price and Cloud Dancer in the ERM CIC3* but both she and husband Tim went well in the CIC2*. Tim and Spartaco placed fourth on 39.2 penalty points while Jonelle was eighth and ninth with Hester and Cooley Showtime.
